Glossary

Yongle

永樂

Term · calendar

Chinese era name (永樂) of the Ming for the years 1403–1424: 1403 is Yongle 1 (元年) and Yongle 22 is 1424. Yongle (永樂) is a Chinese era name (nianhao) of the Ming, proclaimed in 1403. Under the Ming and Qing an emperor kept one era for his whole reign and is known by it: the Yongle Emperor. Its years are counted in lunar years: 1403 is Yongle 1 (元年), 1424 its last year, Yongle 22. A Chinese source dates a year within it as “Yongle 2” (永樂二年) rather than by a continuous count. Before: Jianwen. After: Hongxi.